Both Sports Illustrated and ESPN compiled updated rankings of the greatest NBA players in history. SI’s longtime basketball reporter/author compiled their list, leaving off Pistol Pete Maravich (“one of the greatest collegians”) and Dominque Wilkins. It’s amazing to see some of the players ESPN ranked ahead of Wilkins and Maravich. I’d have to think that had Nique played in New York or LA he would be ranked much higher.
Some of SI’s top 50 didn’t make ESPN’s top hundred. Predictably, ESPN’s list is noticeably younger. Below SI’s top 50 are in black, and ESPN’s top 100 in blue. The 43 players I’ve seen in person are in bold. I’ve seen another 27 on TV, bringing the total I’ve seen to 80 of the top hundred.
Sports Illustrated ESPN
100. Shawn Kemp
99. Kevin Love
98. Gail Goodrich
97. James Harden
96. Bobby Jones
95. Marc Gasol
94. Mark Price
93. Lenny Wilkins
92. Nate Thurmond
91. Maurice Cheeks
90. Paul Arizin (50)
89. Yao Ming
88. Billy Cunningham
87. Chauncey Billups
86. Chris Bosh
85. Dave DeBusshere
84. Dennis Johnson
83. Chris Mullin
82. David Thompson
81. Sidney Moncrief
80. Grant Hill
79. Jerry Lucas (33)
78. Sam Jones
77. Joe Dumars
76. Nate Archibald
75. Blake Griffin
74. Dolph Schayes (48)
73. Dikembe Mutombo
72. Adrian Dantley
71. Pete Maravich
70. Artis Gilmore
69. Vince Carter
68. Bob Lanier
67. Dwight Howard
66. Chris Webber
65. Alonzo Mourning
64. Dennis Rodman
63. Tracy McGrady
62. Alex English
61. Manu Ginobili
60. Earl Monroe
59. Carmelo Anthony
58. Tony Parker
57. Robert Parrish
56. Pau Gasol
55. Dave Cowens (42)
54. Bernard King
53. Wes Unseld
52. Bob McAdoo
51. Reggie Miller
50. Paul Arizin (90) Ray Allen
49. Kevin McHale (31) Russell Westbrook
48. Dolph Schayes (74) Willis Reed (40)
47. Chris Paul (29) George Gervin (26)
46. Bill Sharman (NR) Allen Iverson (45)
45. Allen Iverson (45) Paul Pierce (NR)
44. Jason Kidd (35) Dominique Wilkins (NR)
43. Kevin Durant (22) James Worthy (NR)
42. Dave Cowens (55) Bill Walton (32)
41. Hal Greer (NR) Gary Payton
40. Willis Reed (48) Elvin Hayes (19)
39. Patrick Ewing (32) Bob Cousy (38)
38. Bob Cousy (39) Walt Frazier (21)
37. Dirk Nowitzki (17) Rick Barry (27)
36. Dave Bing (NR) Clyde Drexler (35)
35. Clyde Drexler (36) Jason Kidd (44)
34. Kevin Garnett (22) Bob Pettit (13)
33. Jerry Lucas (79) George Mikan (24)
32. Bill Walton (42) Patrick Ewing (39)
31. Stephan Curry (23) Kevin McHale (49)
30. John Stockton (19) Steve Nash (NR)
29. Isiah Thomas (26) Chris Paul (47)
28. David Robinson (20) John Havlicek (22)
27. Rick Barry (37) Dwayne Wade (25)
26. George Gervin (47) Isaiah Thomas (29)
25. Dwayne Wade (27) Scottie Pippen (23)
24. George Mikan (43) Elgin Baylor (11)
23. Scottie Pippen (25) Stephan Curry (31)
22. John Havlicek (28) Kevin Durant (43)
21. Walt Frazier (38) Kevin Garnett (34)
20. Charles Barkley (18) David Robinson (28)
19. Elvin Hayes (40) John Stockton (19)
18. Julius Erving (14) Charles Barkley (20)
17. Karl Malone (16) Dirk Nowitzki (37)
16. Hakeem Olajuwon (10) Karl Malone (17)
15. Shaquille O’Neal (9) Moses Malone (14)
14. Moses Malone (15) Julius Erving (18)
13. Bob Pettit (34) Jerry West (9)
12. Kobe Bryant Kobe Bryant
11. Elgin Baylor (24) Oscar Robertson (6)
10. Tim Duncan (8) Hakeem Olajuwon (16)
9. Jerry West (13) Shaquille O’Neal (15)
8. Bill Russell (9) Tim Duncan (10)
7. Larry Bird (6) Bill Russell (8)
6. Oscar Robertson (11) Larry Bird (7)
5. LeBron James (3) Wilt Chamberlain (3)
4. Magic Johnson Magic Johnson
3. Wilt Chamberlain (5) LeBron James (5)
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem
1. Michael Jordan Michael Jordan
No comments:
Post a Comment